Johnson, a six-time Pro Bowl choice as a wideout, is an avid soccer fan and often expressed an interest in kicking during his NFL career. He converted an extra point and kicked off for the Cincinnati Bengals during the 2009 preseason.

Johnson tweeted that he hopes the tryout could lead to an opportunity to compete for a roster spot on an NFL team as a kicker, saying, "Pretty far fetched but imagine me being consistent during an XFL season [and] getting a chance at a 53 man roster in the NFL, even [if] I don't make it just being able to compete for a spot at [an] entirely different position will be so riveting."

In an Instagram post last month, Johnson displayed his leg power by converting what appeared to be a 60-yard field goal.

Johnson retired from football after short stints with the Canadian Football League's Montreal Alouettes (2014-15) and the Monterrey Fundidores (2017) of the Liga de Futbol Americano Profesional, the top American football league in Mexico.

In 166 career games between the Bengals (2001-10) and Patriots (2011), Johnson recorded 766 catches for 11,059 yards and 67 receiving touchdowns.